 Opportunity | Equity | Youth and Family Voice | Access | Action
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone - but especially for our children. COVID-19 has only exacerbated many of the challenges facing vulnerable youth and families throughout New Orleans--ranging from access to adequate food, stable housing, transportation, jobs and childcare. Through it all, the dedicated people that lead our social service organizations, schools, city agencies and faith-based groups have stood in the gap for children and youth.
Over the past several months, the Office of Youth and Families has stood in the gap by providing relief in the form of cash assistance for undocumented immigrants, diapers/formula for infants and technology for young people to participate in school and work.
In November, the Council unanimously adopted the City’s 2021 budget. Despite reductions across the board, Mayor Cantrell was excited to be able to prioritize funding for early childhood education access, juvenile defense services as well as the implementation of our citywide youth master plan.
As we move forward into the new year, OYF will work to institutionalize and scale the work we’ve produced over the last two and a half years in order to put New Orleans on the track to becoming a truly child-centered city.
Progress on the CityWide Youth Master Plan
 Over the last ten months, the Office of Youth and Families, in partnership with the Children and Youth Planning Board (CYPB) and the New Orleans Youth Alliance (NOYA), has worked to create the New Orleans Youth Master Plan. The plan is a comprehensive roadmap for improving youth well-being over a 10-year period. We have heard from hundreds of youth, community leaders and residents about their vision for the future of New Orleans children and youth.
Young people gathered together in mid-November to finalize the recommendations and solutions for the Youth Master Plan with the intention to release the document to members of the public in January. Check out the Youth Master Plan and NOLA Kids Data Book for more updates!
Announcing 2020-21 'Mayor for a Day' Winners
The Office of Youth and Families is excited to announce the winners of the second annual Mayor for a Day Contest! This year, the contest was open to all NOLA youth ages 11-18 and we were thrilled to receive over 80 responses from a diverse collection of young people across our city. Each winner will have an opportunity to spend a full day with Mayor Cantrell. We congratulate ALL participants for sharing compelling, courageous and creative ideas on what they would do if they were Mayor for a Day.
It is then with great pride that we announce this year’s winners:
11-13 Age Category: Christian Hodges, 6th grade, Lusher Charter School
14-15 Age Category: Paige Wilson-Franklin, 9th grade, Lycee Francais de la Nouvelle Orleans
16-18 Age Category: Madeline "Maddie" Paige Morrison, 11th grade, Isidore Newman School
Stay tuned to see what these prospective Mayors for a Day will do with their day!
Mayor Visits Coghill Students
On November 10th, Mayor Cantrell stopped by Mr. Stewart’s 7th grade classes at Mary D. Coghill Elementary School as part of their “Career Day” series.
Mayor Cantrell was greeted by two students who led a short tour of their beautiful campus on Mirabeau Street in Gentilly. Mayor Cantrell was joined by Superintendent Lewis and school leaders including Principal Mr. Ismael El-Shaakir and vice-principal Ms. Zelda Smith. After the tour, the Mayor addressed students on the importance of literacy, finding a passion and connecting with community supports. School visits align with the Mayor’s commitment to inspire young people to become future leaders.
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Candice Henderson- OYF Deputy Director
Candice Henderson serves as the Deputy Director of OYF. A native of Chicago’s Southside, Candice began her work in youth engagement as a leader at her local community center.
Candice graduated college from Northern Illinois University with her Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Administration and a double minor in Black Studies and Business Administration.
For the past 15 years she has brought experience and passion to serving young people. For the past three years in New Orleans, she has led the Youth Ministry at the City of Love Church while also serving as the Employment Services Coordinator of Youth Empowerment Project.
Prior to YEP, Candice spearheaded the revitalization of Juma's New Orleans office after launching the Atlanta location. In parallel, Candice served as volunteer Program Director for New Orleans non-profit, PlayBuild. Candice is also certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid by the National Council for Behavioral Health.
Candice’s purpose is to help create access, elevate and amplify the voices of people most in need. This is her driving force and this is why she shows up for the people of the City of YES!
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Dakota Morrow- OYF VISTA
Dakota Morrow is an Americorps VISTA who joined OYF’s team in October. He received his bachelor’s degree in Peace Studies and Sustainability from George Washington University. Prior to joining OYF, he gained working experience at the International Rescue Committee, Ethiopian Community Development Council, and as an English teacher in Japan. Dakota is looking forward to making an impact by supporting the many vital programs of the OYF, and gaining deeper insight into the ways he can support the youth of New Orleans through his efforts.
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New Cohort of the Parent Leadership Training Institute Begins Their Journey
On October 17, 2020 the Parent Leadership Training Institute (NOLA-PLTI) launched its 7th cohort. This dynamic, passionate group includes 19 parents from different backgrounds and experiences (including speakers of multiple languages) who bring rich perspectives to this journey. OYF is proud to partner once again with Bancha Lenguas Language Justice Collective in order to ensure equity through language justice so that all meetings have simultaneous interpretation. Cohort 7 will continue to meet weekly over the next several weeks, as parents learn to become leading advocates for children. To learn more about PLTI, please contact Anamaria Villamarin-Lupin at Anamaria.Villamarin-Lupin@nola.gov.
Pathways Youth Internship Program
We recently launched our second cohort of the Pathways Youth Internship Program. This program is a year-round workforce readiness initiative offered by the Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families in partnership with the Kellogg Foundation and the Greater New Orleans Foundation. Pathways seeks to mitigate youth poverty, unemployment, and crime rates by providing in-school and out-of-school New Orleans youth between the ages of 14-17, with paid work experiences meant to encourage a successful transition to the workforce.
This year's program has a multi-layered redesign which will now offer 15 full weeks of soft skill workshops led by Gracefully Mindful Wellness Institute, mentorship opportunities through Cure Violence and case management support. Our second year of programming will pair youth with internships at businesses across the community including Studio G, Otis Trucking, Ma Mamma's House, and Ray’s on the Avenue.
NORD Holiday Toy Drive
NORD is hosting a holiday toy drive. Please donate a new, unwrapped toy for a youth between ages 0-17. Drop off at any NORD Rec Center, Monday - Friday between 10 am-7 pm. Toys will be distributed to the community during the NORD Holiday Toy Giveaway on Saturday, December 19, 2020.
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Marine Corps Toys for Tots Drive Through Distribution
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Marine Corps Mega Toys for Tots Drive Through Distribution 2020
When: 8 AM- 2 PM
Saturday December 19th -Sunday December 20th
Where: 1037 Camp Street, New Orleans LA 70130
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Submit Community Resources via 2-1-1
As we get close to launching the New Orleans Youth Master Plan, we need your help in making sure that the resources listed in Youth NOLA @ 2-1-1 are all updated and accurate. Our goal is to have every program and resource available to New Orleans children, youth, and families listed on the site. Here’s how you can help:
EQA Schools Offers Alternative Options for Struggling Students
EQA serves students aged 12-21 through a year-round curriculum. Here's the list of current programs offered:
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The NEST: For 8th-12th graders who are parenting. They can bring their child(ren) with them for free, high quality childcare while they are in class.
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The NETs and NOAH: For 8th-12th graders who are struggling academically, behaviorally, or with attendance. We have locations in Central City, Gentilly, and Uptown and offer a variety of schedules, virtual, in person, and hybrid classes. Students can also earn credit from internships and join Digital Media, Construction, or Nursing pathways.
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The Bridge: For 7th-8th graders who need small, therapeutic classes with lots of individualized attention and wraparound support.
To enroll in any of these programs, visit the website: www.eqaschools.org or call: 504 228 4294.
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Continuing Education Opportunities with Kedila Youth Build
Kedila Youth Build, a community-based pre-apprenticeship program, provides job training and educational opportunities for young adults ages 16-24 who are no longer enrolled in school. Participants earn a cash allowance as they prepare for the G.E.D, acquire basic construction and carprenty training and job skills training. For more information, call 504-623-5686 or email info@kedila.org
Looking to Join the Resilience Workforce?
Resilience Force, in partnership with the City of New Orleans, is deploying a community health outreach program and they are looking for a bilingual (Spanish and English) Community Support Specialist and a Community Health Worker. Click on the hyper-links to learn more! To apply, email jobs@resilienceforce.org
Help Transform Youth Lives through Restoration, Rehabilitation and Reentry at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center (JJIC)
The Juvenile Justice Intervention Center, previously known as the Youth Study Center, is looking for a large and diverse pool of candidates to fill roles including: juvenile detention counselors, social workers, custodial workers, and grounds patrol. Residents with Spanish-language proficiency are strongly encouraged to apply. The following is a list of employment opportunities with Juvenile Justice Intervention Center.
NEW ORLEANS LAUNCHES IN-HOME SUPERVISION PROGRAM FOR KIDS ACCUSED OF CRIMES
MAYOR CANTRELL JOINS NOLABA, PARTNERS TO ANNOUNCE $5M PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT FROM JPMORGAN CHASE THROUGH ADVANCING CITIES CHALLENGE
MAYOR CANTRELL THANKS KALEIDOSCOPE KARES FOR $50K DONATION FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING
LETTERS: NEW ORLEANS NEEDS EFFECTIVE MASTER PLAN TO GROW FUTURE LEADERS
OFFICE OF YOUTH AND FAMILIES RELEASES NEW TOOLS TO TRACK CHILD WELL-BEING
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, COMP-U-DOPT AND PARTNERS GIVE FREE COMPUTERS TO YOUTH WITHOUT ACCESS AT HOME
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